Watch the video to find out who has won this prestigious nursing award. Good luck to all the finalists!
The finalists for the Innovations in your Specialty Award
Angela Woodley
NHS Western Isles
Ms Woodley has transformed a failing dermatology service into one that is outstanding and person-centred through clinical leadership, co-designing improvements with patients, and using technology from the US in this isolated location. As service lead she vets all referrals, performs complex diagnostics, delivers multiple complex therapies and initiates medication and treatment plans. Waiting time breaches for urgent referrals have gone from 55% to zero. Weekly rather than monthly clinics are improving outcomes for patients with suspected cancer, and all patients are put on a treatment plan within a week of referral. Patient satisfaction questionnaires are all positive. The patients say they feel listened to, appropriately treated and reassured.
Whittle Hall study team
L&M Healthcare
This team, led by home manager Deborah Payne, wanted to improve the nutrition of residents with complex and advanced dementia, who often forgot to eat or drink, or paced about during mealtimes. It planned, implemented and evaluated the effect of a five-minute activity conducted five minutes before mealtimes, supported by analysing and documenting food preferences and supporting staff to interpret verbal signs. The study was filmed on a phone camera with families consulted throughout the study. All but one resident gained weight, mealtimes were calmer, people who had needed assistance were able to eat unaided, and a marked increase in positive behaviours was noted.
0-19 Service
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
Wolverhampton has the highest rate of infant deaths nationally. Led by Sue Watts, these school nurses and health visitors developed and piloted an education programme for Year 12 students, raising awareness of risk factors and empowering them in future decision-making. A teacher-training package was also devised. Evaluation shows a huge increase in students’ understanding of risk factors and the impact of risk-taking behaviour, as well as the benefits of breastfeeding and planned pregnancies. The five-school pilot was so successful that it has been rolled out through the city’s other 18 schools. It will be adapted for special schools, pupil-referral units and young offender institutions.
Bladder and bowel nursing team
NHS Lothian
Evidence showed that patients were receiving containment products even though incontinence can be significantly improved or cured in 80% of cases. This team of nurse specialists, led by Fiona Tynan, devised a person-centred bladder and bowel assessment tool and treatment pathway for community nurses and acute hospitals, and embedded it in electronic patient records. In the first 18 months the number of new patients prescribed continence pads fell 78% thanks to assessment and treatment. Feedback shows the assessment process has picked up undiagnosed diabetes and that patients’ overall well-being has improved. It has saved 782 referrals to district nursing.
Prison Healthcare Northern Ireland
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
Led by Denise Lyons, this team co-produced a comic book with young people in custody highlighting the dangers of drug misuse in prison by bringing their personal stories to life. The comic book, called Biz in the Pris, is a fun but credible and authentic education resource now being used by community addiction teams, child and adolescent mental health services, juvenile justice services and adult prisons. Feedback from the men who co-created it has been positive. They have learned new skills and overcome their own drug problems, and are now mentoring others. They are already working on their next publication, which will be on self-harm.
Ana Waddington
Barts Health NHS Trust
Nursing sister Ana Waddington took action in frustration over the number of young people arriving at her emergency department as victims of serious youth violence. One teenager died unnecessarily because his friends were unaware they needed to apply pressure to his wound. Ms Waddington set up the YourStance project, which runs workshops that teach young people aged 13-25 lifesaving skills. She started with three volunteers using a manikin in Feltham Young Offenders Institution near London but now, in her own time, coordinates the 150 NHS volunteers she has recruited, including nurses, doctors and paramedics. Using her savings and working extra bank shifts to help fund the project, she has reached hundreds of young people.
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